Derek Draper “doesn’t look like he’s in a good way” according to Kate Garraway’s Smooth colleague Jenni Falconer.
The former lobbyist contracted Covid-19 in early 2020 and as a result, was left bedbound in hospital for over a year.
He had made brief returns home with Garraway as documented in her award-winning documentary Finding Derek.
However, his health has worsened in recent days after he reportedly suffered a heart attack earlier this month.
Garraway put a stop to her work commitments in order to be by Draper’s side with a source telling The Sun that his latest health woe was “sudden and a shock”.
Speaking to Smooth listeners on Tuesday morning, Falconer provided an update as she said on-air: “Kate’s husband Derek as we all know has been struggling with long-lasting damage since he suffered from Covid and it doesn’t look good at the moment, it doesn’t look like he’s in a good way.
Derek Draper and Kate Garraway pictured in 2019
ITV/SHUTTERSTOCK
“So we’re sending lots of love to Kate, Derek and the family… especially at this time of the year.”
Falconer’s statement echoes that of Garraway’s colleagues at ITV who issued similar messages on Monday morning.
Good Morning Britain hosts Charlotte Hawkins and Richard Madeley both sent their best wishes to Garraway and Draper as they opened Monday’s show.
“We just wanted to start with an update, didn’t we?” Hawkins began. “Because you may have seen in the news over the weekend that Derek, Kate’s husband, is sadly in a very serious condition at the moment.”
Madeley weighed in: “Now we just want to let Derek, and Kate, and of course the whole family know that we are all here, thinking of them.
“We know many of you are as well and all of us send them our very best wishes at what is a very difficult time, super difficult time.”
Hawkins concluded: “Lots of love from all of us this morning.”
Ranvir Singh also showed her support on Monday’s Lorraine: “We must, at this point say we send our best wishes to Kate and husband Derek.
Jenni Falconer shared an update with listeners
GETTY
“As you might have seen in the news over the weekend, he’s in a serious condition. Our hearts go out to both of them and Kate, such a worry.
“We saw her at a Christmas lunch, a few weeks ago, and Derek’s taken a turn for the worse since then. All our thoughts are with them.”
Draper’s fight with Covid began in March 2020 after the disease left him with long-lasting damage to his organs.
The lobbyist was put in a medically induced coma during his hospitalisation and he became the longest-suffering Covid patient in hospital.
Since contracting coronavirus, he’s had several admissions back to the hospital with ailments including brain inflammation, liver damage and kidney failure.
